Catherine Asaro - The Night Bird

They reached the Jazid camp and rode among shadowed tents. Sentries passed them, patrolling in the dark, and the one escorting them quietly sent another soldier out to keep his watch. He took Zeik deeper into the camp, past other guards. Ahead, a dim light grew larger. They were approaching a tent whose sides glowed from the inside. As Zeik reined in his horse, a stable boy ran to them.

Zeik dismounted, then reached up and pulled Allegra off the horse. The dodecahedron in her pocket jabbed her thigh as the tunic hiked over her leg. Zeik put her on her feet, and for a moment he kept holding her, even though she was neither falling nor fighting.

The sentry jumped down and handed his reins to the stable boy. As the youth led away the horses, Zeik took her arm. “Come. The General is waiting.

No! She balked, refusing to move. Zeik jerked her, and she stumbled a few steps. When she held back again, he and the guard took her by the arms and dragged her forward until she managed to pull her feet beneath her. They stopped in front of the tent, and the sentry went on inside, leaving Zeik and Allegra waiting.

Please. She tried to say it, but even she couldnt decipher the noise she made. She looked up at Zeik and willed him to relent, to show mercy, to take her away from here.

“Your eyes are as big as moons, he said, his voice strained. He cupped his hand around her cheek.

A tear ran out of her eye. Please dont do this.

“Ach, he muttered. “Dont look at me that way.

The sentry opened the tent. “You can bring her in. He lifted the flap and stepped aside.

Zeiks expression hardened, and he pushed Allegra through the entrance as if he were angry at her for his own compassion. The light wasnt bright inside, but after so long in the dark, she had to squint. The reek of scorched hemp saturated the air. Three men sat around a low table, studying maps and other parchments. A torch burned in a stand behind them, lighting their area but leaving the rest of the tent in shadow. She recognized all three: Generals Yargazon and Ardoz and Colonel Bladebreak. As Yargazon looked up, Zeik saluted, his fist turned up to the sky.

“Well done, Lieutenant, Yargazon said. “Excellent work. He indicated a pole that held up the roof to Zeiks left. “Put her there. Then he returned to his meeting.

Zeik took her to the pole and shoved her down on her knees. Crouching behind her, he worked on the thongs binding her wrists. When he freed them, she tried to bring her arms in front of her body, but he pulled her hands over her head. By the time she realized what he intended, he had stretched her arms tight and bound her wrists to a metal loop jutting out from the pole above her.

Dont, she tried to say. It hurts.

He avoided looking at her as he pulled her calves so she was sitting with her legs bent to the side. He tied her ankles to a metal loop jammed into the ground. She felt ill when she saw the blood that stained the rugnear her big toe.

“Stop looking like that, he said in a low voice. “Your spells wont work on me. He hesitated, then pulled her tunic down, over her thighs. The cloth was too torn to cover much, especially with her arms pulled over her head, but his gesture of kindness made another tear roll down her cheek.

Zeiks face contorted as if he were in pain. “Im sorry, he muttered. When he reached up to her hands, for one incredible moment, she thought he would free her. But he was only checking the knots around her wrists. He pulled one, securing it perhaps. Then he stood up and turned toward Yargazon.

The General glanced up. “Thank you, Lieutenant. He inclined his head. “Im pleased. You will be rewarded.

“Thank you, sir.

Regret showed on Yargazons face. “We will hold a memorial for those who lost their lives tonight. Their sacrifice in rescuing the atajazid will be remembered. If you would like to speak for them?

“Sir, yes, I would, Zeik said. “Thank you.

“Very well, Lieutenant. You may go rest. The hint of a smile touched his expression. “Its well deserved, young man, and weve a few hours before we fight at dawn.

Zeik saluted and left the tent, accompanied by the sentry. Allegra felt as if her last hope of mercy had vanished. Not that she had really believed he would help her. But at least he had shown remorse. Watching the officers conferring with Yargazon, she wondered if they even cared what the General would do to her. She had thought Ardoz might, but neither he nor Bladebreak even acknowledged her presence. Perhaps they truly did think her evil.

Although she was too far away to hear all of their war council, she caught some. Their forces had occupied the palace in Quaaz, but the Taka Mal army continued to fight. Carrier birds had taken news of the invasion to Cobalts forces in Jazid, and many Jazidian soldiers had deserted that army to join Yargazons fugitives. Tonight Jazid and Taka Mal had called a temporary truce. They were waiting to see what would happen with Aronsdale and Harsdown, and for the arrival of the extra men from Jazid.

They also talked about the suicide raid. They had known it had little chance of success and that it violated accepted codes of war. They had been willing to try anyway, for if it had succeeded, the sun would have risen on a very different world. Ozi could have been close to becoming ruler of all the settled lands.

Yargazon finally set down the map he was holding and rubbed his eyes. “Its been a long night.

“So it has, Bladebreak said. “But when the men realize His Majesty has returned, it will improve morale.

“There is that. Yargazon rose to his feet with the others.

They spoke for a bit about inconsequential matters, and then Ardoz and Bladebreak bid him good-night. Ardoz glanced at Allegra as he and the colonel were leaving the tent, and a frown creased his face. He turned back to Yargazon. “Be careful with her, Dusk. Markus doesnt want her interrogated.

“Dont worry, Yargazon said. “Shell be fine.

Liar! Allegra thought. When Ardoz nodded and left the tent, she cried, Come back! but even she barely heard her muffled call.

Yargazon stretched his arms and rubbed the small of his back. He turned almost lazily toward Allegra. “So, he said. “The witch comes home.

Dont, she thought. She was having trouble breathing.

He came over and sat next to her with one leg stretched out and the other bent at the knee. Leaning his weight on one hand, he traced his finger up the inside of her elbow. With her wrists pulled over her head, her sleeves had fallen down to her shoulders, leaving her arms bare.

“Youre quiet tonight. Good. He touched her neckline. “This rag, however, offends me.

Dont hurt me, she thought, knowing it was futile.

He dropped his hand to his belt and pulled a dagger out of its gold sheath. As she stared at the knife, blood drained from her face. With methodical, relentless motions, he slit the neckline of her tunic, then ripped the cloth down her front. He cut off the sleeves and pulled away the scraps until none remained. Then he sat, his gaze traveling over her body.

“Ive wanted to do that since I first saw you, he said.

Her face flamed. She instinctively tried to pull her arms down to cover herself, but she could do nothing. He dropped the remaining rags of her tunic in a pile, and she saw the pocket that hid the dodecahedron. Unreachable.

Yargazon pointed his dagger at a structure half-hidden in shadow across the tent. “Do you see whats up there?

She squinted into the dark, but she could make out no more than a framework with a row of shapes along its top, cups or bottles perhaps.

“Theyre hourglasses, he said. “One hour each. Do you know how many are there?

She shook her head, and a curl fell into her eyes.

“Sixteen, he said. “One for each hour you left me chained. He picked up her curl and twirled it in his fingers, then deliberately let it fall back into her eyes. “You will pay for that. Folding his hand around her breast, he pinched her nipple. Then he leaned forward and kissed her cheek, his lips brushing the strap of her gag. “Sixteen hours for sixteen hours, he murmured.